Optical coherence tomography system with multiple sample paths

Abstract

Improved optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging systems are generally described. In an example, an OCT imaging system includes a tunable laser source, an interferometer, a splitter, and a detector. The tunable laser source is configured to provide a wavelength-scanned beam. The interferometer is configured to split the wavelength-scanned beam into a reference beam and an object beam. The splitter is configured to split the object beam into a first path corresponding to an anterior chamber imaging component and a second path corresponding to a retinal imaging component. The detector is configured to detect a signal caused by interference between the reference beam and at least a portion of the object beam reflected from the eye.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging system comprising:
 a tunable laser source configured to provide a wavelength-scanned beam; 
 an interferometer configured to split the wavelength-scanned beam into a reference beam and an object beam; 
 a splitter configured to split the object beam into a first path corresponding to an anterior chamber imaging component and a second path corresponding to a retinal imaging component, wherein the anterior chamber imaging component comprises a first scan mirror configured to image an anterior chamber of an eye, and wherein the retinal imaging component comprises a second scan mirror configured to image a retina of the eye; and 
 a detector configured to detect a signal caused by interference between the reference beam and at least a portion of the object beam reflected from the eye. 
 
     
     
       2. The OCT imaging system of  claim 1 , further comprising a first aperture through which the portion of the object beam on the first path is configured to pass and a second aperture through which the portion of the object beam on the second path is configured to pass. 
     
     
       3. The OCT imaging system of  claim 1 , wherein the anterior imaging component further comprises a lens system optically coupled to the first scan mirror configured to image the anterior chamber. 
     
     
       4. The OCT imaging system of  claim 1 , wherein the retinal imaging component further comprises a lens system optically coupled to the second scan mirror configured to image the retina. 
     
     
       5. The OCT imaging system of  claim 1 , wherein the first path is distinct from the second path. 
     
     
       6. The OCT imaging system of  claim 1 , further comprising a processing unit configured to process a signal from the detector to generate an image. 
     
     
       7. The OCT imaging system of  claim 1 , wherein the first path comprises a lens system with a divergent beam and a lateral scanning pattern perpendicular to a sample, and wherein the second path comprises a lens system with a collimating beam and a divergent scanning pattern to the sample. 
     
     
       8. The OCT imaging system of  claim 1 , wherein a splitting ratio of the first path to the second path is greater than 50%. 
     
     
       9. The OCT imaging system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second paths comprises a shutter configured to close over an aperture to switch between imaging ranges. 
     
     
       10. The OCT imaging system of  claim 1 , wherein a path length difference between the first path and the second path has an optical length equivalent to an axial length of an eye. 
     
     
       11. The OCT imaging system of  claim 1 , wherein first path is combined with the second path using a partially reflecting mirror inside the lens system of the second path. 
     
     
       12. The OCT imaging system of  claim 1 , wherein the first scan mirror is separate from the second scan mirror. 
     
     
       13. The OCT imaging system of  claim 2 , wherein the first path extends from the splitter to the first aperture, wherein the second path extends from the splitter to the second aperture, and wherein the first path is separate from the second path an entire distance between the splitter and the first aperture. 
     
     
       14. The OCT imaging system of  claim 2 , wherein the first path extends from the splitter to the first aperture, wherein the second path extends from the splitter to the second aperture, and wherein the first path is separate from the second path an entire distance between the splitter and the second aperture. 
     
     
       15. The OCT imaging system of  claim 11 , wherein the second path comprises a two lens system with 4f configuration and the beam of the first path is introduced to a second lens having the first scan mirror positioned in the back focus of the second lens. 
     
     
       16. The OCT imaging system of  claim 11 , wherein the second path comprises a two lens system with 4f configuration and the beam of the first path is introduced to a second lens having the second scan mirror positioned in the back focus of the second lens through a partial reflecting mirror. 
     
     
       17. A method comprising:
 emitting a wavelength-scanned beam from a tunable laser source; 
 splitting, by an interferometer, the wavelength-scanned beam into a reference beam and an object beam; 
 splitting, by a splitter, the object beam into a first path corresponding to an anterior chamber imaging component and a second path corresponding to a retinal imaging component, wherein the anterior chamber imaging component comprises a first scan mirror, and wherein the retinal imaging component comprises a second scan mirror configured to image a retina; 
 imaging, by the first scan mirror, an anterior chamber of an eye; 
 imaging, by the second scan mirror, a retina of the eye; and 
 detecting, by a detector, a signal caused by interference between the reference beam and at least a portion of the object beam reflected from the eye. 
 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 17 , further comprising passing a first portion of the object beam along the first path from the splitter to a first aperture through which the first portion of the object beam passes to the eye; and passing a second portion of the object beam along the second path from the splitter to a second aperture through which the second portion of the object beam passes to the eye. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 18 , wherein the first path is separate from the second path an entire distance between the splitter and the first aperture. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 19 , wherein the first path is separate from the second path an entire distance between the splitter and the second aperture.